Doping ban looms

Sinner “knows who is my friend – and who is not”

Jannik Sinner(Bild: AFP/GETTY IMAGES/MATTHEW STOCKMAN)

Tennis superstar Jannik Sinner has spoken about the doping case and his tour colleagues in a remarkably open interview. He now knows who his friends are - and who they are not ...

Since the positive doping tests became known, the South Tyrolean hasn't let much get in his way on the court, winning the US Open, among others, in commanding fashion. But things look different inside him. Sinner admitted this openly in an interview with Sky Sport Italia.

A thoughtful Jannik Sinner after the US Open triumph(Bild: APA/Getty Images)

"The worst moment was when the whole story became public," recalls the world number one. Especially because it happened shortly before the US Open in New York. "When I came to training, all eyes were on me, it was very tough. I asked myself so many questions, it was difficult to prepare for a Grand Slam tournament."

Sinner: "Nothing happens by chance"
He observed the reaction of his Tour colleagues "to understand how they really think. At the end of the day, I'm convinced that nothing happens by chance, and maybe in this case it was about understanding who is your friend and who is not." There were many players "who I didn't think were my friends" who stuck by him.

(Bild: AFP or licensors)

But then there were also completely opposite cases, i.e. "colleagues who I thought were my friends but weren't". The whole affair didn't do him any good, but it made many things clear to him.

Sinner, who had tested positive twice for the banned anabolic steroid Clostebol in March, was acquitted by the tennis agency ITIA because no intentional fault or negligence could be proven against him. However, the World Anti-Doping Agency WADA lodged an appeal in September, which is why the South Tyrolean could face a two-year ban in the worst case scenario.